Her Majesty's ambassador<\/p>\n
Diplomatic assignments, by definition, are of a short-term
\nnature. So it is not surprising that ambassadors come and go when
\nthey have completed their assignments. Nevertheless, the
\ndeparture of Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador Richard Gozney
\nand his wife Mrs. Diana Gozney cannot be viewed simply as a
\nroutine event in Jakarta's diplomatic life.<\/p>\n
Since the beginning of the Republic of Indonesia, British
\ndiplomats have played a significant role in finding amicable
\nsolutions to the complicated problems facing this country.<\/p>\n
We are reminded of the roles that Sir Archibald Clark Kerr
\n(who later became Lord Inverchapel) and Lord Killearn played in
\nmediating in the conflict between the Netherlands and the
\nRepublic of Indonesia, resulting in the Linggarjati Agreement of
\n1947. There was also the work done by Sir John Ford, who at the
\nend of the 1970s negotiated with the then powerful security
\nchief, Gen. Sumitro, to release in stages the political prisoners
\nheld on Buru island.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Richard Gozney's performance since he presented his
\ncredentials at the end of August 2000 has been of a different
\nnature. He has a natural gift for making friends with Indonesians
\nfrom all professional and social circles. These wide-ranging
\nfriendships, inside and outside the government, made it easier
\nfor Pak Gozney to explain his government's unpopular policies in
\nIraq.<\/p>\n
Given that this is his second assignment in Indonesia -- he
\nwas here about 40 years ago as a young political officer -- his
\nproficiency in the Indonesian language, which he speaks with a
\nslight Jakarta accent, and his visibility and accessibility are
\nindeed noticeable.<\/p>\n
What is it that makes Ambassador Richard Gozney such a
\nvaluable asset, not only for the Jakarta diplomatic corps but,
\nmore important, for the politics of Indonesia's nascent
\ndemocracy?<\/p>\n
Indonesians, whether government officials, legislative
\nmembers, business executives, media representatives or activists,
\nwill remember how Ambassador Gozney always used common sense and
\ntook a rational approach in suggesting possible solutions to a
\nnumber of perplexing problems facing Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Of course, empathy and a personal inclination to be generous
\nwith advice were not the only reasons Her Majesty's ambassador
\nworked so hard during these past years. After all, a stable and
\nprosperous Indonesia, in which democracy and justice flourish,
\nwill have a positive impact on the security architecture of
\nSoutheast Asia. That, in turn, will offer exciting possibilities
\nfor the business and investment interests of the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n
We wish Ambassador Richard Gozney and the elegant Mrs. Gozney
\nselamat jalan. May he, in his next position, attain the same
\nsuccess he experienced in Indonesia.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/her-majestys-ambassador-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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